JERUSALEM  In a stunning setback, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's hard-line bloc fared worse than expected in a parliamentary election Tuesday, exit polls showed, possibly forcing the incumbent Israeli leader to invite surprisingly strong moderate rivals into his government and soften his line toward the Palestinians.

TV exit polls showed the hard-liners with about 61 seats in the 120-seat parliament, a bare majority, and the counts could change as actual votes are tallied.

The unofficial TV results had Netanyahu winning only 31 seats, though he combined his Likud Party with the far-right Yisrael Beitenu for the voting. Running separately four years ago, the two won 42 seats. He expected to increase that total by running together, but the combined list's poll results dipped steadily throughout the three-month campaign.

Netanyahu was also expected to receive stronger backing because his fragmented opposition did not post an agreed candidate against him.

If they hold up through the actual vote counting, the unexpected results could be seen a setback for Netanyahu's tough policies. The coalition-building process could force him to promise concessions to restart long-stalled peace talks with the Palestinians.

Addressing cheering supporters early Wednesday, Netanyahu pledged to work for a broad-based government. Also he said, he would show "responsibility in striving for a genuine peace."

Narrow or not, a win is a win, and I’m glad this guy will be around to shit on Obama’s international picnic whenever possible. Besides the opposition is divided between leftist trolls and Arabs, and the nationalist Jewish Home had a good showing, indicating that many Israelis are sick of negotiating with the Palitards.

This is all Bibi’s fault. First his stupid “cease fire” with Hamas, which strengthened their hand and angered many in the Israeli south who were victims of their missiles. Then his over-the-top attacks on the very right-wing “Jewish Home” party, where Bibi’s Likud party called them out as “extremists”. This weakened Jewish Home and handed votes to the center-left “Yesh Atid” party run by an empty suit former newsreader named Yair Lapid (get used to the name, he is the new star of Israeli politics). Bibi doesn’t care, because he will still rule and will be freed to pursue the same centrist, elitist policies he did in the late 90s, when he gave away Hebron to the Arabs. Bibi is not as great as FReepers think he is.

Okay, he’s not perfect, but for a foreign politician dealing with what he faces on a daily basis (leftist JINOS, Islamic supremacy rhetoric, Iranian nukes, being accused of enacting apartheid by two-bit nations who have enough of their own problems), he’s not a bad prime minister. Much better than the Olmert guy who was on... was it Gretta?... a few nights ago. The guy seemed like a total moron, whining about how Bibi hadn’t been patient enough with the thugs in Gaza and the West Bank. Netanyahu also has a lot of hatred for the Marxist in the White Hut, so he and I have something in common there.
Put it this way, I sure as hell would love to switch Zero out for him! haha

Would someone comment about the logistics of political campaigns in Israel? I’m quite curious, but know little about it.

Do the airwaves get loaded with ads, ending with “I’m Bibi, and I approve this message!”? For the Knesset, are there push-cards, phone calling, door knocking, fund raising, mailings, campaign workers? Are campaigns nasty or we’re-all-in-this-together in nature? What elected officials are there below Knesset?

13
posted on 01/23/2013 2:35:53 AM PST
by C210N
(When people fear government there is tyranny; when government fears people there is liberty)

In a stunning setback, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's hard-line bloc fared worse than expected in a parliamentary election Tuesday... TV exit polls showed the hard-liners with about 61 seats in the 120-seat parliament... had Netanyahu winning only 31 seats, though he combined his Likud Party with the far-right Yisrael Beitenu for the voting. Running separately four years ago, the two won 42 seats... Netanyahu was also expected to receive stronger backing because his fragmented opposition did not post an agreed candidate against him.

15
posted on 01/23/2013 4:03:57 AM PST
by SunkenCiv
(Romney would have been worse, if you're a dumb ass.)

Bizarre. I haven’t seen a single report of actual VOTES. Instead it’s non-stop coverage of exit polls. And the actual numbers in Israel are always confusing. there are so many new parties constantly popping up while old parties sink into oblivion. Labour and its leftist allies are still playing second fiddle to the Likud coalition.

By the way, how do parties that gain a majority of votes in a country represent the “far right”, while a combination of other parties gets less than 50% and is labelled “centre-left”?

They’re saying that 99.8% of votes have been counted and it stands 60-60.

However the official tally will be released Thursday morning.

Netanyahu will have to put together a coalition of 61 seats. If he can’t than the election will have to be held again.

And yes, it’s ridiculous that the press defines this as a battle between the “far right” and “center left”. Of course the media also portrays our politics that way, they just don’t often use terms like that so openly.

With 99.8% of the vote in, Netanyahu’s base(the Israeli Right and far right and the Orthodox Religious parties) have 60 out of the 120 votes. The Left and Moderate parties have 48 votes. The Arab parties have 12 votes. It’s kind of a mess:

Despite the fact the Muslim Brotherhood Egyptian President Morsi said Egyptian children should be taught to hate Jews (Israel) and all those who support them (us), WE are equipping his Islamofascist regime with OUR weapons to attack OUR ally!

Disclaimer:
Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual
posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its
management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the
exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.